The Gleason sisters, Kristine and Jackie, have a busy year ahead of them with two weddings on the way.

Kristine, senior in agricultural engineering, is set to get married in May 2012 and her younger sister, Jackie, is also getting married this year in October.

It all started Kristine’s freshman year of college when she and her fiancé were in the same orientation group.

“The students and parents had to split up at one point,” Kristine said. “When we all came back together our parents were talking, and my mom was already obsessed with him and tried to set us up.”

They’ve been together ever since their first date that year at Applebee’s.

That same year, Kristine met Luke Schlitzer, her sister’s future fiancé, who lived in the same dorm as her.

Jackie was just a senior in high school, but came up to visit Kristine for Veishea. Jackie met Luke and started the following year as a freshman at Iowa State.

“We had our first date at Great Plains. I can still remember what we were wearing,” Jackie said. “We’ve been together ever since.”

Four years later, both of the Gleason sisters are engaged to the loves of their lives.

Kristine’s fiancé, Allen Vanderwiel, proposed to her on June 1, 2011, at Ayden Hayden as the sun was setting after a picnic in the park.

“When we were there, I was actually thinking about how perfect it would be if he proposed,” Kristine said. “And later he did! It was perfect.”

Jackie’s fiancé, Schlitzer, proposed on Sept. 26, 2011.

“When he pulled out the box, it looked a lot like Kristine’s ring box, so I wasn’t sure if it was a joke,” Jackie said, “but then he opened it, and my ring was in there, and I knew it wasn’t.”

Both girls are each other’s maids of honor, so planning the wedding has been a little less traditional.

“We more or less bounce ideas off of each other for our weddings,” Kristine said.

“Our tastes are also very different which helps,” Jackie said. “She’s very traditional, so I try to help her spice up her wedding, and she’ll help me tone down mine.”

Kristine’s colors are ivory, black and red. Her flowers are going to be red roses. Jackie’s colors are electric purple and olive green with a “touch of sparkle.” Her flowers are going to be an explosion of color, including gerber daisies, calla lilies, green spiders, hot pink roses and some blue flowers.

Both agreed that the hardest part about planning a wedding is realizing how much stuff costs.

“You know weddings are expensive, but it’s more of a reality when you’re writing the check,” Jackie said.

Despite the money, both said trying on the dress was one of the best parts of the wedding planning. Kristine tried on about eight dresses, and Jackie tried on about 40.

“It didn’t feel real until you buy the dress. It really made my wedding dreams come to life once I had it,” Jackie said.

Both of the sisters graduate in May. Kristine and Allen are moving to Wisconsin because they both got jobs up there. Jackie and Luke are planning to move near Johnston, Iowa, where Luke was offered a job.

“We’re both excited to start this new chapter in our lives,” Kristine said.